Rockets 111 - 112 Nuggets
Final - 2OT
  for this game

With McGrady's status in question, Rockets face Nuggets

Dec 20, 2007 - 2:42 PM Houston (12-13) at Denver (14-10) 10:30 pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) -- For an offense that is struggling to score points consistently, the last thing the Houston Rockets need to see is their leading scorer on the sidelines.

One day after struggling to make it through just one half, Tracy McGrady may need to rest his sore left knee Thursday when the Rockets visit the Denver Nuggets.

McGrady was seen favoring his left leg repeatedly throughout the first half of Wednesday's 97-92 loss to Orlando.

He missed 9-of-10 shots in the first half and did not even come out of the locker room for the third quarter.

McGrady's absence will only further hinder an offense that is averaging just 84.6 points in its last five games - four of which were losses. Houston, since acquiring McGrady before the 2004-05 season, is just 11-41 when he does not play.

Further struggles on the offensive end would not bode well against Denver, which is 10-1 when holding opponents to less than 100 points. The Northwest Division-leading Nuggets figure to be a tough challenge for the struggling Rockets' offense, as Denver averages 106.3 points per game - fourth-best in the league.

Allen Iverson has been shouldering a great deal of the scoring load lately though. In seven December games, he is averaging 31.3 points, up from his 23.6 average in November.

Iverson scored 38 points Sunday, but the Nuggets dropped a 116-105 decision to the Portland Trail Blazers.






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